


Strawberry Tarts and Vanilla Tea

by sleepydonut



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bilbo loves Vanilla Tea and Thorin, M/M, Thorin is a Softie, Thorin makes Coffee, unifanficchallenge2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepydonut/pseuds/sleepydonut
Summary: Thorin works as a barista, enjoying his day when a miserable Bilbo walks through the door. Thorin is on a mission to cheer him up and get his name.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57





	Strawberry Tarts and Vanilla Tea

Strawberry Tarts and Vanilla Tea

Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield

Prompt: Coffee Shop AU Dialogue Prompts: ‘I really hate you right now.’ ‘Don’t worry, I know a guy.’

Bagginshield meets Coffee Shop AU. Thorin works as a barista, enjoying his day when a miserable Bilbo walks through the door. Thorin is on a mission to cheer him up and get his name.

Word Count: 1652

A light tune played on the radio, not that anyone noticed. The queue stretched nearly to the door today and Thorin struggled to keep up with the orders flowing in despite having his co-worker manning the till to take payments. The clock lazily ticked its way to 3’oclock and the lunch rush slowly trickled away, leaving only customers who had nowhere to be or local university students rushing to finish the last of their essays, and Thorin could finally breathe in relief. Only four more hours and his shift was over. As much as he enjoyed working at The Lonely Mountain, Thorin also enjoyed lazing in front of the TV despite his sister's insistence that it wasn't good for him and that he really should go out and socialise (as if he doesn't do enough of that at work).

The bell tinkled, breaking Thorin out of his thoughts. A short, honey haired man stepped through the door and up to the counter where Thorin's co-worker took his order and money, relaying the drink for Thorin to make; a sweet vanilla tea (one of Dori's newest blends from the board above the counter). The man collected it from the counter and went morosely to a table in the corner.

Thorin couldn’t help but feel sorry for the man, a face that gorgeous shouldn’t be marred by sadness and there was nothing to it but to cheer him up, if only a little. So Thorin placed a freshly baked strawberry tart on a plate and hoped to any gods that were listening that this man liked it as he walked over.

Clearing his throat, Thorin placed the plate on the table and slid it over to rest next to the mug of tea the man had wrapped his fingers around. “Here, it’s on the house.”

“Oh, thank you?” The man, and Thorin really should ask for his name so he can stop referring to him as such, tilted his head up and gave him a sad smile.

“I just thought that it might help you cheer up a little.” Thorin grinned.

“Thank you, really. It’s just been a long day that’s all.”

Thorin perhaps should’ve kept his mouth closed after that and gone back to work, but a question was gnawing at his mind. This man was sat in a café at 3pm in a black suit with a black tie and a completely devastated look on his face. So, checking his co-worker was fine, Thorin sat down in the chair opposite and softly asked “Who did you lose?”

The blond’s shoulders sagged at his question, replying “My mother.”

“Losing a parent is hard, especially when you aren’t ready to let them go.” Thorin should know. He could still remember his own mother’s funeral, his prayers that it wasn’t truly her inside that coffin being lowered into the ground and that she would be waiting for him in the kitchen with his favourite pastries cooling on the side. But despite all that, Thorin had had to be strong for his siblings who didn’t understand that their mother wasn’t coming back, that she wouldn’t be there to tuck a then four-year-old Dis into bed or tend to a scraped knee from eight-year-old Frerin’s adventure up the oak tree.

“It was a beautiful service. I’d like to think she would’ve been proud of it.” His green eyes lowered to the strawberry tart and picked up the fork. “Thank you for this. And for the chat. I should let you get back to work.” His lips turned up into a small smile and Thorin patted his hand before standing and heading back to the counter. It was only when the slow trickle of customers ended, and he was preparing to close that he realised that he had forgotten to ask for the man’s name. Grumbling a curse, he dismissed his laughing co-worker and headed home, determined to forget about his misfortune.

Thorin had been sure that he wouldn’t see the blond again, yet here he was, standing in line not two days after he’d last been in. This time Thorin was determined to get his name and nothing would deter him, not even his sniggering co-worker who really should get back to working before Thorin decides that he preferred working alone. The order was the same as two days ago, with the addition of a strawberry tart, and this time he was told to go sit, they’d bring it over. Damn that sneaky little… Thorin glared at his co-worker smugly smiling, grabbed the tray and took it over to the corner table.

“One tea and tart for you, Mr…?”

“Bilbo. Baggins.” Bilbo, and wasn’t that a relief, said. “Thank you...?”

“Thorin.”

Bilbo smiled up at him, taking the steaming mug and wrapping his hands around it.

“How are you doing today?” Thorin asked.

“Tired. I never realised there was so much to do after a funeral. I’ve got to sort all of mum’s stuff out from the will, send it out to everyone… she was a hoarder you know. The house is full of stuff, things I hardly think count as proper belongings.” He stopped his tirade and glanced at Thorin. “Sorry, I guess I just needed to get that off my chest.”

“No don’t apologise, it’s a daunting task. And one you don’t need to do right away. Give yourself some time, grieve, then you can go deal with everything else. Your relatives will understand.”

Bilbo moved to grab Thorin’s hand tight, “Thank you. You’ve been a comfort to me, and you don’t even know me.”

“Well, we can always change that?” Thorin didn’t know if this was the right time to be suggesting a date but he was hopeful that Bilbo could understand what he meant. He didn’t want to let him slip away and if Bilbo needed a bit of time before anything happened between them, then Thorin was willing to wait.

“Are you asking me out?” Bilbo smirked.

“Is that not alright?”

“No, it’s perfectly fine. I haven’t met anyone quite like you, Thorin, and I think I’d regret not giving you a shot.”

Thorin bit his lip, overjoyed at the response. Not only had Bilbo said yes but he loved the sound of his name coming out of Bilbo’s mouth.

“You’d better get back to work, but here’s my number. Text me sometime soon, yes?”

Thorin smiled, taking the small napkin Bilbo had written his number on and promising to text him once he’d finished his shift. Bilbo waved him off and dug into the strawberry tart that had almost been forgotten.

The rest of the day passed quietly, with Thorin working behind the counter, glancing over, and sharing smiles with Bilbo, before he had to go, whispering a quiet goodbye before heading out the door. Thorin couldn’t quite believe what had happened, couldn’t stop smiling at that. How had he been so lucky as to meet Bilbo and that the man was as interested in him the same way as Thorin was.

Over the next three weeks, Bilbo would pop into the café most days for a chat and his usual order of sweet vanilla tea and a strawberry tart. Thorin always looked forward to these moments, and looked forward to the moments when they met outside of the café for dinner or a movie or even for a walk together. Thorin was enjoying getting to know him, finding out Bilbo’s love for books, especially his fondness for poetry, the way his nose would scrunch up when something irritated him. And, oh isn’t that a surprise, Thorin could feel himself falling more and more in love with the man.

Then one sunny afternoon Bilbo came in, his shoulders tense with stress and sadness. Thorin could instantly guess that it had something to do with his family.

“What’s happened?” Thorin asked softly, guiding him into the back of the shop.

Bilbo took a deep breath before speaking. “My grandfather thinks it’s time to sort Mums stuff out, which I would do but I don’t think I can do it alone. And none of the family live close to here so if any of them came up to help, they’d have to find somewhere to stay.”

“I can tell this is stressing you out,” Thorin had a brilliant idea. “Don’t worry, I know a guy.”

Bilbo paused then, realising what Thorin was implying, looked up at him, shocked. “You would help me?”

“Yeah. I’m serious, Bilbo, say the word and I’ll be there.” Hating the expression on Bilbo’s face, Thorin pulled him in for a hug. Bilbo buried his face in his shoulder before starting to shake.

“Thank you.”

Thorin just tightened his arms, letting Bilbo take his time to calm himself. It was only a couple of minutes later that Bilbo lifted his head and Thorin offered him one of the napkins from a nearby packet. He wiped the tears off his face and his lips turned up at the corners in a sheepish smile. “Sorry for crying like that on you. Everything just got too much and I…” Thorin cut him off with a kiss, only a light touch against Bilbo’s lips but enough to distract him from his rambling. Bilbo gaped at Thorin, surprised at his action.

Thorin’s hand rose up to rub at the back of his neck, “Sorry, I just didn’t know what would shut you up. It’s fine Bilbo. I’m here for you, don’t forget that.”

Bilbo just let his head drop against Thorin’s shoulder again, embarrassed, and muttered, “I really hate you right now.”

“Well, you can hate for as long as you want, but you won’t get rid of me that easily.” Thorin grinned as Bilbo lifted his head to glare at him. Thorin just leant in and gave him another kiss.

Bilbo sighed, “I don’t think I would want to get rid of you.”


End file.
